Fading Away (A Zak Bagans Story)
by FallonChase
Summary: A story about Ghost Adventure's Zak Bagans. I do not own Ghost Adventures or represent any of the characters from the show.
1. Chapter 1

_According to Greek mythology humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves._

I do not believe in soulmates. I hate those stupid movies Hollywood dishes out where anorexic women do ridiculous things to grab the attention of over-moussed men in the name of true love. I hate novels that describe true love's kiss as being something electric, where the participants see fireworks behind their eyes. Love is not some secret treasure waiting to be discovered. Its hard work and mutual trust and respect. It is something I absolutely do not have time for.

And it is obviously something that the married business owner who just grabbed my ass during an interview doesn't take seriously either. Frustrated, I walked briskly to my car parked outside the office of Jones and Stanford Law Offices where I had been interviewing for a receptionist position. Being a receptionist was not my dream job, but my rent was past due and my utilities were about to be shut off and I was running out of options. I hadn't been able to hold down a job since I'd graduated college two years ago. I just didn't know what I wanted to do. You're forced to pick a career while you are still a child, study for it for four years, and cross your fingers and pray that there's a market for you when you get out and that you are still even remotely interested in being a part of it for the next forty years of your life.

I, unfortunately, received neither once I graduated. Unwilling to move to the land of fake boobs and even faker people, otherwise known as Los Angeles, my degree in television was doing nothing for me in the small town in which I lived. So I followed one dead end after another trying to make ends meet.

Trying to control my growing anxiety I took a deep breath as I unlocked the door to my small Hyundai and climbed in the driver's seat. Leaning back against the headrest I stared up at the ceiling wondering how much longer the car would be mine if I continued to not be able to make payments. Deciding to try and push my problems aside for the night I started up the engine and pulled into the street. It was a short drive back to my apartment. I rolled my eyes as I passed by the local university and saw the students camped out on their lawns outside the frat houses and their off campus housing, already piss drunk at 6 in the afternoon.

But, of course, it was St. Patrick's Day. They were probably drunk by noon.

I wished I could be that carefree again. Its odd how when you're growing up all you want is to be older. To make your own rules. Run your own life. Then when you get there all you want is to go back again. To let someone else take care of you, and let them do all the worrying. Maybe that's why people are always jumping into relationships. The endless search for the selfish desire to be taken care of.

Maybe if I was concentrating less on the love lives of the rest of the world and paying more attention to the road I would have seen two of the drunk college students in question playing chicken with their SUVs in the apartment parking lot as I turned in. Maybe I would have swerved out of the way sooner as one of the SUVs gave up the game and veered out of the way of their friend's vehicle. But I didn't. I didn't even see it coming until it was far too late.

I remember the impact as the front of the SUV slammed into my door, pushing both of us clear across the parking lot. My head crashed into something hard right before everything went dark. When I woke up my entire body was in pain. There were flashing lights obscuring my vision and someone was speaking to me, asking my name, if I could feel this or that, if I remembered what had happened. Sleep was so much more pleasant than the loud noises and flashing lights. I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

When they opened again I could feel my body moving, and rectangular fluorescent lights passed above me in quick succession. A face leaned down towards me.

"Alexandra?" the face said. I tried to put it in focus, but it was difficult.

"Mmm?" I managed to mumble.

"Alexandra, you're going to be all right. You were in a car accident. We're taking you into surgery now. Is there someone you want us to call?"

Call? Call who? I just want to go to sleep. I closed my eyes again for the last time.

Its soothing when your soul leaves your body. All of the pain just drifts away. As I floated out of my body I watched the doctors working feverishly over my body. It was mangled, that's for sure. No wonder I was dying. I should have been freaking out, looking at my lifeless body lying there on the operating table, but I wasn't. I just felt… at peace. When a warm white light appeared in the corner of the room I knew what was coming next, and I was happy. I wouldn't have to worry about bills there. I wouldn't have to worry about finding a job. I wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again.

I moved towards the light, stretching my arms out in front of me. I could almost feel the warmth spreading over my fingertips when something unexpected happened. It was like a rubber band around my waist had finally reached its breaking point. But instead of snapping, it jerked me backwards, away from the light, the peace, the calm. I flew, flew out of the hospital, across town, over fields. I was pulled far, far away. In a matter of seconds I had been torn from the light and jerked to a halt into the dark. I sailed into a warm mass that took my breath away. It felt electric as I passed through the mass and came to a final stop. I spun around to see the back of a man in a dark t-shirt and jeans. His hands came up to touch his chest.

"Whoa! Guys, I just felt something go straight through me," the man said, looking around. I recognized that face…

"No!" I cried in disbelief. The man jumped, and so did two other men behind him that I noticed for the first time.

"Dude, did you guys hear that?" One of the other men asked. They were all staring in my direction, though they didn't seem to see me.

"That came from right behind me," the man I had made contact with said. My mind was reeling. I knew these men. They were famous for investigating seemingly haunted locations. They even had their own television show. A television show I had just flown into the taping of. A television show I knew I had just become the subject of. Because for whatever reason the rubber band had taken me away from my final resting place. It had dragged me hundreds, maybe thousands of miles away from the hospital, for some unfathomable reason, straight to the side of Zak Bagans and his Ghost Adventures crew.

I… am… a ghost?

Fuck.


	2. Chapter 2

"Give us a sign of your presence," Zak said, holding out his EVP recorder.

_Nope._

"Did you pass away in this hotel?"

_Nuh uh._

"Did you work here?"

_Not even close, dude._

I crossed my arms as I watched the guys staring around the room through their camera lenses. There was nobody in this room but me, and I wasn't talking. Why should I? I wasn't supposed to be here. I was heading for the light. I was on my way to eternal bliss and happiness and somehow I ended up here instead.

I blamed Zak. I will admit, before I died I was a fan of the paranormal. It fascinated me. I'd always wanted to investigate haunted locations or do something like that, but I knew that it was dangerous. Doing EVP sessions was basically handing out an open invitation to let spirits come in. Maybe Zak asking questions was how I got stuck here. Instead of hopping the bus to paradise I got stuck on the one to his little party.

_Maybe I'm not stuck!_ I may have been pulled here against my will, but who says I have to stay? With that thought in mind I walked (or was I floating? Creepy) away from the guys and began searching for a way out.

_Okay, I'm a fricking ghost_, I thought after a few minutes of wandering around, lost, _Just go through the damn walls._ I placed myself in front of a wall and stared. It looked pretty solid. I glanced down at my hands. To me, they looked as solid as ever. I was started to feel like Harry Potter trying to get onto Platform 9 ¾. Tentatively, I placed my palm against the wall. It felt cold and smooth. Ever so slowly I started pushing my way through.

It felt like I was pushing through sand. I could feel the grains of the stone against my skin. I pulled my hand back out and looked at it again. Nothing seemed damaged. I took a deep breath and plunged through, head first. I stepped through the grainy wall and came out on the other side- and came face to face with a woman dressed in a maid's uniform, half of her face charred, as if she had been burned.

I screamed, I couldn't help it. Even though I was dead, and I knew nothing could hurt me she had still startled me. And seeing a woman with half her face burned off was a frightening sight, dead or not. I looked around as I heard footsteps running through the rooms in my direction. I knew Zak, Nick and Aaron were on their way. I glanced back at the ghost who was still staring at me intently.

"You're not supposed to be here," she hissed, angry.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, backing away. She kept step with me, her eyes snapping in rage.

"GET OUT!" she yelled as Zak barreled through the doorway, Nick and Aaron close behind.

"Did you guys hear that?" Aaron asked, looking around where the maid and I were standing. Zak hushed him, holding the EVP recorder out in front of him, stepping carefully over to where we were.

"Did you just tell us to get out?"

I wasn't hanging around to have a conversation. While the maid was distracted by Zak I flew as fast as I could towards the opposite wall. _I'll just keep going_, I told myself, _sooner or later I will be out of the building. Then I'll be able to figure out where I am and how to get back to the hospital. Maybe if I can get back to my body I can find the light again_. I kept moving as fast as I could, ignoring the grainy sensation as I passed through walls. Soon I reached a room with a door that looked like the exit. I could see sunlight just beginning to creep over the horizon. I made my way in that direction, eager to escape. As soon as I reached the door I felt it again. The rubber band. It tensed against my waist and pulled me back, back through the walls, straight back to Zak freaking Bagans.

"I just felt it again," he said, clutching his chest, "something keeps going right through me." Anger and sadness welled up inside me. I could feel my eyes burning. Why couldn't I get away from him? I tried again, flying as fast as possible back towards the door. Maybe if I went quickly the rubber band would snap and I would be free. My hopes were in vain as I was dragged back once again. Frustrated, I wanted to lash out. This was Zak's fault. It had to be. Why else was I stuck to him like a dog on a leash? I muscled up all my courage and energy and threw a punch straight at him.

To my astonishment I made connection. I felt his warmth as my fist hit his side. He must have felt it, too, because he buckled beneath my punch.

"Something just punched me!" he yelled, "I felt that! Something seriously just punched me." I sobbed in pain and an odd sense of relief. I was dead. Dead. I was stuck here on earth, a ghost. No one could see me. But for some reason the Ghost Adventures crew had been able to hear me. And Zak had felt me.

"My camera battery just went completely dead," Nick said, pushing buttons and inspecting his equipment, "It was still over half full a minute ago."

"Did you use our camera's energy to punch me?" Zak asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes," I sobbed, for the first time hoping he would hear me. The guys made no reaction, however, so I knew they had not. Maybe it would be recorded on their equipment.

"I am so lost," I whispered. I sunk down onto the ground, defeated. I didn't know what to do.

"It's 6:15 guys, we'd better wrap it up," Zak said after a few minutes of what they thought was no response. I made my way slowly to the front door and stood by it, despondant, waiting for Zak and his crew to be let out. I had a moment of fear when the caretaker showed up to unlock them. Maybe I was going to be stuck here forever simply because this was where Zak was when I was brought to him. Stuck here on a fluke. But the fear passed as Zak made his way out of the location and I glided along silently beside him, straight through the door that had trapped me earlier.

I truly was a dog on a leash, and Zak Bagans was holding the other end and he didn't even know it. I placed myself in the back of their van as they piled in, knowing that if I tried to escape him the rubber band would just pull me back, and potentially through him again. Zak was driving and I had no desire to cause three others to lose their lives as I had.

I had no idea where to go from here. If I was stuck to Zak I had no way of getting back to the hospital to find that white light, and finally be able to rest. Would I have to wait decades for Zak to pass away to use his light? It was morbid to think about, but I knew that the alternative was staying a ghost forever. I would just have to silently sit, and wait, for another opportunity to pass into the light.

I feared it would be a very long wait.


	3. Chapter 3

Days passed as the boys made their way back to Las Vegas and settled into their everyday lives. I moped around Zak's house, doing my best to ignore him and the various spirits that popped in and out after following him from different lockdown locations. Some of them were trying to pass messages to him that they couldn't get across during the lockdown. Some were trying to annoy him by showing up at his home like he had done at theirs. But for the most part Zak didn't notice and eventually all the spirits would leave and we would once again be alone.

There was one occupant of the house that I tried to avoid at all costs: Zak's little Yorkie, Ridley. Ridley had no problems seeing me at all times, and did not take kindly to my presence. The first night I was there he sat and stared at me all night, growling occasionally. As soon as he fell asleep I left the room, and always tried to stay one step ahead of him. As soon as I would hear his tags jangling as he came my way I would be gone.

A few days after arriving at Zak's home things began to get interesting. Early one afternoon he received a call from Aaron who was busy working on editing their latest lockdown, telling him to come over as quick as he could. I followed, as I knew I must, and travelled with Zak to Aaron's house.

"You're not going to believe this," Aaron said excitedly when Zak and I arrived.

"What's up?" Zak asked, following Aaron downstairs to his makeshift studio. There was editing equipment and cameras everywhere that I would have loved to have gotten my hands on when I was alive. Aaron motioned for Zak to sit down as he took his place in front of the computer screen.

"There was something seriously crazy going on at the Fairmont Hotel," Aaron said, bringing up footage from the lockdown. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew who had caused the craziness. Little did Zak and Aaron know the crazy was in the room with them.

"You're telling me? I got punched!" Zak said.

_What a wuss_, I thought.

"Besides that. We caught the most consistently intelligent EVPs I've ever heard."

"Seriously?" Zak asked, leaning towards the screen.

_Uh oh._

Aaron rewound to a scene I remembered very well. The moment I first slammed into Zak. You could clearly see Zak reacting to my presence before I heard myself scream "No!". It was an odd feeling hearing yourself on film, and yet, not seeing yourself. The guys, however seemed excited.

"That's awesome we caught that," Zak said, "What else did we get?"

"Nothing for a while," Aaron said, fast forwarding, "We were getting those EMF spikes, but nothing was talking, and then suddenly the EMF spikes went away. Remember?" Zak nodded.

"Well, over in the ballroom our static cam caught that scream we heard that made us go running… Along with some other stuff."

"Other stuff?" Zak asked. Aaron just smiled and nodded.

"See for yourself," he said, and pushed play.

I leaned in, watching the scene with the guys. The ballroom. That was where the maid was. In fact, I could almost make out a dark shadow where I knew the maid had been standing before I showed up. Aaron seemed to have noticed the same thing.

"You see that?" he pointed it out to Zak. When Zak nodded Aaron continued, "It gets better." I knew what was coming next. Sure enough, out of the wall came a white mist that halted in front of the dark shadow. Then came the scream. Zak seemed excited, but Aaron shushed him before jacking up the volume.

"Listen," Aaron said.

"_You're not supposed to be here_," I heard the maid say. She sounded more disembodied on film than she had to me, but then again, since we were both spirits, we probably communicated on the same wavelength.

"_I'm sorry_," I heard myself respond. My voice was much clearer than hers, but was still rough with emotion.

"_GET OUT_!"

"That is awesome," Zak said, high-fiving Aaron, "It's like they're having a conversation. I thought they were telling us to get out, but maybe not."

"Definitely not, because watch," Aaron said, pointing to the screen.

We watched as the white mist that I knew was me darted off. Soon the black shadow left as well right before the white mist came back from the direction it had left, slamming into Zak. You could see and hear Zak reacting on camera directly afterwards. And then came the punch. My white mist lightened up as I punched, and then dimmed drastically as if I had used most of my power to accomplish it. Zak reacted, and directly afterwards you could hear my sob.

"Is someone crying?" Zak asked Aaron.

"Sounds like it," Aaron responded. After Nick discovered his battery was dead I heard Zak asking me a question on camera.

"Did you use our camera's energy to punch me?"

"_Yes_… _I am so lost_." My voice sounded more ragged than before and the white mist faded as I collapsed to the ground. My energy had to have been getting low.

"That…" Zak started, but seemed to be having trouble finding words to complete his thought.

"Was awesome?" Aaron interjected.

"Was sad." Zak finished, "I don't know, it was just… sad. The white mist was scared." I looked at Zak. For the first time since I'd been pulled to him… I really looked at Zak Bagans. He was staring at the screen intently, lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts about me. Kind thoughts. He wasn't scared of me, or angry at me for trying to hurt him. He felt bad for me. I sat down on the empty computer chair beside him, and leaned my head on his shoulder. Phantom tears ran down my cheeks. He felt so warm… It had been so long since I felt warmth. Even before I died I rarely had human contact. He felt so nice.

"Go back to the scream," Zak said, and Aaron complied. He studied my mist form closely, taking it frame by frame, when-

"Look," he said, getting excited again. I was so absorbed in his warmth I barely looked up until he said, "you can see a face!"

That made me look. Zak and Aaron were leaned into the screen, tracing my outline.

"Look, when we burst in the mist kind of turns, and you can see a face. It's a woman. That is definitely a woman," Zak said, pointing it out. I looked closely, too. Sure enough, there I was. There is something about seeing yourself as a true, misty, ghost that shakes you to your core. Shakes you enough to cause an electric shock through your body. Shakes you enough to the point where, even if you are dead, you have the energy to send a computer chair halfway across the room when you jump up out of it. Zak and Aaron both jumped up and spun around.

"What the hell, man?!" Aaron yelled, "Don't tell me you brought another one home with you."

Zak didn't answer, just simply stared in my direction in disbelief. Where was the warmth of a few seconds ago? Where was the compassion? Zak made a grab for a nearby EMF recorder, but I was already gone. I headed out of the basement and up to the first floor near the door like the obedient dog that I was. I could hear him having a session down in the basement, but I refused to return. I didn't want Zak knowing I was around. I didn't want to be studied like a lab rat. I just wanted to exist until I was able to move on. I didn't ask to be tied to him. I didn't _want_ to be tied to him. I certainly didn't have to help him.

Zak and I left not long after. He was silent on the way home which I thought was odd until I remembered that as far as he knew he was alone.

He tried several more times over the next few days to contact me. Each time I was silent. Eventually he would give up. Eventually he would forget about me. And eventually the light would return and I'd be out of his life for good.


	4. Chapter 4

The weeks trudged by slowly. Zak had given up on trying to contact me after several unsuccessful tries. I did my best to stay away from Ridley, but every once in a while I would slip up. It was hard to remain vigilant at all times when my thoughts were consumed with what to do next. My body would have long been buried by now. Every day that passed I could almost feel the calming white light slipping further away from me. It was depressing, but what could I do? Zak couldn't help me even if I could find a way to explain to him what had happened. I was alone.

We were now on our way to another lockdown location. I wasn't sure where. I rarely paid attention to what was going on in the house apart from avoiding Ridley. We arrived at our hotel and Zak, Aaron and Nick checked in to get a good night's sleep before the lockdown the next day. Once Zak and I reached his room he flipped on the TV then headed into the bathroom to grab a shower before bed.

"He couldn't have left it on something more interesting than the news?" I complained when I heard the water go on. What did I care about current events? What could possibly affect me now?

The answer to that question came swift and painfully.

"In 2005 the Terri Schiavo case caused a debate across the country on the ethics of life support in our nation's hospitals, and who should have the power to make those decisions. Now a new case is grabbing national attention. On Saint Patrick's day a young woman by the name of Alexandra McConnell was struck by a drunk driver while returning home from an interview. After undergoing surgery the doctors placed McConnell on life support and announced she was comatose and would remain that way for an indeterminate amount of time. McConnell's parents, who are divorced, are fighting for the right to decide her fate."

The news cut to a shot of my father standing outside the hospital, his eyes bloodshot, "Alexa would never want to live this way. She had dreams and goals that were taken away from her by a drunk driver. Her mother is holding on because she can't deal with the fact that Alexa is already gone."

"Alexa has only been in a coma for a few months," my mother argued in a separate interview, "he isn't even giving her time to heal!"

I stared at the television screen, stunned. Though I had no physical body it felt as though my heart was beating out of my chest. I was alive.

I was alive.

I was still alive!

My mind was going a thousand miles a minute. I was alive. I had been alive this whole time. This whole time I could have been talking to Zak, getting him to help me. Instead I had been wasting it. Well, I wasn't going to waste a minute more.

"Zak!" I yelled, "Zak!" I heard the water shut off and the curtain open inside the bathroom.

"Zak!" I cried again. I waited for Zak to emerge from the bathroom. He did, several minutes later, wearing his pajama pants, a towel draped over his shoulder. He looked around the room in confusion.

"Hello?" he asked tentatively.

"Zak," I said, approaching him slowly. His face didn't register that he had heard me.

"Zak?" Still nothing. I stood right beside him, my chin nearly touching his shoulder.

"Zak, please hear me." Zak shook his head and wandered back into the bathroom, towel drying his hair. I stood there, stunned. I had a terrifying thought, then. A thought that, if true, could cost me my life.

"The white light isn't getting further away," I whispered aloud, "I'm getting weaker."

It was the only thing that made sense. When I was first dragged to Zak's side he could hear everything I was saying. He could feel me. He could see me on camera. Now, even shouting at him from a few feet away he couldn't hear me. I felt myself dropping into a depression once again. What was I supposed to do now? I had missed my chance to save my own life. Now I would have to suffer the consequences.

Zak came out of the bathroom, dropping the towel on the counter, and flipping off the light. He headed for the bed, a path that caused him to pass directly through me. I took a deep breath as he moved through me, soaking in his warmth and his energy. It is the oddest feeling, feeling as though you are one with another person. I could feel his heart beating inside his chest, merging with where mine should have been. He stopped, staring at the wall, wondering what he had just felt. I reached out and took his hand as best I could.

"Zak… I will make you hear me. I need your help." He shook his head as if clearing his thoughts, finished crossing the room to his bed and laid down. Flipping off the light he lay in bed channel surfing as if nothing had ever happened. I floated over to where he lay and laid down next to him, staring at the contours of his face. I had been living with him, silently, in his home for two months now and I had never taken the time to truly look at him.

He was beautiful.

I realized then that more than my life was in danger.


	5. Chapter 5

"We're here at Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island getting ready to be locked down for twelve straight hours," Zak said to the camera. I floated along beside him, saving my energy for the night ahead. I knew now what I had to do. I had to make contact.

I had a lot of time to formulate a plan while Zak slept last night. The main plan was simple: make contact with Zak and get him to stop my parents from taking me off life support. The harder part was how to possibly explain my situation and get him to actually do it. I had formulated a three step process that I thought might work. One, make him understand that I was attached to him, and not the lockdown location. Two, let him know that I need his help. Three, tell him I'm alive. In order to do any of that I had to save my strength. If I was getting weaker as I thought I was I had to use my energy wisely.

I followed the guys during the tour, trying to ignore the dark energies I felt at the location. I realized there was a potentially disastrous flaw in my plan. People with physical bodies may not be able to hurt me, but I saw no reason why spirits couldn't. What would the maid have done to me at the Fairmont if Zak, Nick and Aaron hadn't shown up? She clearly hadn't wanted me there.

Fort Delaware, according to the tour guide, was supposed to be haunted by criminals, soldiers and even pirates. What would happen if they got to me before I got to Zak? Every lockdown would be an opportunity to put my plan into motion, but they could also be dangerous for me. I just had to hope for the best, and try and communicate as soon as the equipment was up and running.

"Are you guys ready?" the caretaker asked.

"More than ready," Zak said, "Excited to find ourselves some pirates!" I rolled my eyes. _Speak for yourself_. Once locked down the guys began mapping their X camera locations. I stood vigil, waiting impatiently for them to begin their investigation. If all went according to plan they would get more evidence then they could handle. As the sun dipped below the horizon the tension in the room became almost palpable. Something was coming, and the guys were just starting to pull out equipment, deciding which to try first.

"Hello, gorgeous," a thick, dark voice said from the shadows. I jerked around, trying to see who had spoken.

"Zak, please hurry," I whispered. I stepped towards him til our backs were against each other, trying to soak up his warmth.

"What a treat you'll be," the voice said again, this time from the shadows to my left. It was getting closer.

"Aaron you take one of the cameras," Zak said, "Nick, you and I will grab digital recorders to start with." _Hurry_. My breathing was shallow and erratic. Whatever it was, was getting closer, and it had fixated on me. I prayed it hadn't realized I was part of its world. My prayers weren't answered as a man, shrouded in darkness, darted up to my right side, his breath hot against my neck.

"They can't hear you," he said in a mocking, sing-song voice.

"Leave me alone," I whispered, looking into his deep, dark eyes. I swore they were tinged with red. He was the most frightening thing I'd ever seen. Darkness flowed around him like a dense fog. His whole being radiated evil.

"Where would be the fun in that?" he asked. His hand snaked out and wrapped around my waist, jerking me away from Zak. He chuckled as his other arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me close, "So much energy for one so dead…" He thinks I'm dead. I have to keep him thinking that. My brain raced wildly. I have to have more energy because I'm still alive. If he finds out that I'm not really dead he could take it all.

"All right, guys, lets get started," Zak said. The guys had finished up their planning. I began to struggle as they started their investigation. I had to make contact!

"Why are you bothering me when there's three live people right there?" I hissed. _I'm so sorry, Zak, this is the only way. Please don't hurt him._ The dark figure loosened his grip for a moment, studying the guys, debating on what I had said.

"I suppose you're right, little one. Besides-" he stopped suddenly, pressing his face into my neck, breathing deeply, "You beautiful little witch, you almost had me. A live human soul, out of its shell. No protection… no one can even hear you scream."

"Wanna bet?" I asked. Zak was moving away. I had to get his attention. If I didn't do it now this spirit would take all of my energy and I would die for sure. I had one shot to get this right.

I screamed. I screamed Zak's name as loud and as long as I could, using up all the energy I could.

"You fucking bitch," the spirit man said, "Shut up! Your energy is mine!"

"Who called for me?!" Zak asked. He, Aaron and Nick were staring around, looking for me. I braced myself to scream again, but the man covered my mouth.

"Not a chance, little witch," the man said. Before I knew what was happening he was dragging me away, across the compound, away from Zak. He removed his hand from my mouth to get a better grip on me.

"I have a lot of hungry men waiting for someone like you, little witch. You won't get away from us." As he dragged me I felt a familiar sensation, one that brought a smile to my face.

"I'm sorry, but there's something you don't understand," I said, my heart racing.

"What's that?"

"I already belong to a man." The rubber band reached its breaking point, and I felt myself be jerked out of the dark spirit's arms. It was pulling me back to safety, back to Zak. I'd never been so happy to feel it before. Zak was alone in a room, Nick and Aaron down the hall from him when I bashed into him. The force of it brought Zak to his knees. I could feel both of us shaking, him from the energy shock, me from fear.

I was so weak. I had used most of my energy to scream for Zak. I wanted to lay there on the ground and sleep, but I knew I couldn't give up.

"Who is here with me?" Zak asked, not moving from his position on his knees. I pulled myself towards him, curling up in front of him, trying to soak up some of his energy.

"I need your help," I said. It came out as little more than a whisper. I prayed he or the digital recorder could hear it, "Help me, Zak." I felt him jump slightly. He raised his hand up, as if he were cradling my face. But I knew he couldn't see me.

Maybe he could feel me.

"Tell me your name," he whispered.

"A…" Oh no… my energy was depleting quickly. This was my last chance for this lockdown. I had to get it out, "Alexa!" I put as much energy into the name as I could, and used the remainder to send a wave of energy through Zak. Energy full of emotion. Full of pain, fear, and desire. An odd thing happened then. It was as if my energy came back to me with a response. As if by sending Zak my emotions I received his in return. The wave was filled with confusion, and an urge to protect. The wave continued to move as if we were standing on opposite sides of the water. It just kept moving back and forth, him to me, me to him. I sent him my fear, and the affection that had grown inside me for him. He sent me warm comfort. I was so deep under the spell that I didn't notice as Aaron and Nick made their way into the room.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Nick asked. Just like that the connection snapped. Zak and I opened our eyes which had drifted closed at some point during our interaction.

"What?" he asked, slowly coming out of his own stupor.

"You are freaking me out, man," Aaron said, "Why do you look like you're holding someone?" Zak look down to where I was seated in front of him. His arms were, indeed, wrapped around me, though I was nothing more than thin air to him. He dropped his arms, forcing himself to stand up slowly.

"I don't know… that was so weird," Zak said, he rubbed his arms and shook them, trying to brush off the remnants of the energy wave, "It was like someone was trying to send me a message, or tell me something."

"We didn't hear anything from down the hall," Nick said, "Let's check your recorder."

They rewound Zak's recorder to do a quick review of Zak and I's conversation. I hoped my voice had been caught. I stayed where I was on the ground, too weak to make a movement just yet.

"Who is here with me?" I heard Zak say on the recorder. I held my breath, praying that I would hear myself.

"_I need your help… Help me, Zak."_ It was barely more than a whisper, but it was there. I breathed a sigh of relief and laid my head back against the stone floor. I had made contact. At least the night was not a total waste despite the attempts of the evil entities that roamed the halls.

"That is creepy," Aaron said. Zak shushed him, listening.

"Tell me your name," recorded Zak whispered.

"_A…Alexa_."

"Alexa," the guys repeated. Aaron and Nick looked stunned and excited. Zak still looked unnerved at what had happened between us.

"Alexa?" he asked, looking around, "Alexa, are you still here?" I stared at him sadly. I wished I could answer, but I knew my energy was zapped. Why, why hadn't I responded to him when I was first brought to him? I wasted so much time and energy on anger.

"Knock once for yes, twice for no," he continued, waiting. Might as well try. I raised my hand up, made a fist as tight as I could, and slammed my knuckles into the ground. It came out as a light tap as my hand pushed right through the floor, but a tap would work. The guys gasped.

"Yes!" they said, "One tap for yes."

"I'm not sure how I can help you, Alexa," Zak said, "Did you die on this island?"

I rapped twice. The sound came out fainter. My energy was almost completely gone. Even my body looked lighter than it used to.

"No?" Zak said, "Why are you here then? Did you come for me?"

I slammed my fist down with all my strength. It glided right through the floor silently. I had no energy left to communicate with Zak's world. I was empty.

"Alexa? Are you still here, sweetie?"

I sighed sadly. _I've given you all I can right now, Zak. Just please don't forget about me._ The guys gave up after a few more questions. They assumed I had gone.

"I don't know why there would be a woman on the island," Nick said as they started making their way out the door to the hall.

"Yeah, the guide didn't say anything about any female spirits," Aaron added.

"I don't know," Zak said, taking one last look at the room, "Maybe she's not supposed to be." I smiled at that. Zak wasn't stupid. I could trust in him. He would figure it out eventually. I just had to keep trying. For now I needed to rest, and prepare for my next opportunity.

I stayed by Zak's side for the rest of the lockdown. They encountered several other spirits, but luckily they paid me no attention. I was a wasted away spirit in their eyes. The living humans standing in front of them, most times provoking them, were much more fascinating. Zak asked several of the spirits about me, but none had any information to give. I was a stranger to them.

Zak was withdrawn as we left the fort. I knew he thought he was leaving behind the spirit that asked for his help. But in reality I was right beside him.

And that was where I intended to stay.


	6. Chapter 6

It took me a good week to recuperate from Fort Delaware. It was getting harder and harder to regain my energy. When I was first pulled into the spirit world, to me, I looked as solid as the physical beings around me. Now, I had faded slightly. I wasn't see through, but there was definitely a bit of transparency to my skin.

Now that I was feeling better it was time to move forward with my plan. Zak knew I existed. Now, I had to get him to make the connection between me who he heard at Fort Delaware, and me who was currently haunting his house. As soon as I could make him understand that he was stuck with me I would have completed step one.

I stopped avoiding Ridley. For the first few days that I let him see me he growled and barked. But after awhile I think Ridley sensed my sadness, and took pity on me. He was now my unwitting ally in my quest.

One night I was sitting on a chair in the living room while Zak made dinner in the kitchen. Ridley trotted into the room and jumped up on the ottoman. He stared at me and started to cry. I knew he wasn't crying out of fear of me, but fear for me. Even he could sense my weakness. Zak came into the room, staring at Ridley in confusion.

"What's the matter, Ridley? Come on, let's get some dinner," he said, motioning Ridley into the kitchen. Ridley ignored him, and continued to whimper.

"Ridley?" Zak asked, coming back into the room. He came over to where I sat, and looked down at the small dog.

"What do you see, boy?" Before I knew what was happening, in an attempt to get in Ridley's attention, Zak sat down in the seat I was occupying. Our bodies immediately meshed together. I gasped at the intense feel of it. I blinked, and when I opened my eye I was staring at Zak. We were in a dark room, ten feet apart or so, staring at one another.

"Zak?" I whispered.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"Alexa," I replied. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew I had to take advantage. I had no clue how long this connection would last, or how much of my energy it was zapping, "Zak, please, you need to listen to me."

"Alexa," he interrupted, "Are you following me?"

"Yes, but I-"

"You're dead," he said, holding up a hand to silence me, "You need to move on. There isn't anything I can do to help you."

"You don't understand," I sputtered. I could feel tears running down my cheeks. I had something important to tell him and he was mucking it all up! He was going to kill me!

"Believe me, I do," Zak said, stepping forward, "You don't want to be dead. You may not even remember dying."

"Zak, shut up!" I cried. I didn't have the time he was wasting, "I'm not dead! I will be if you don't start listening to me!"

"I know it feels that way, but you are dead. I'm sorry, Alexa. But you need to get out!" Zak pushed me out of his mind then. I fell through the air, landing on the ground several feet away. I gasped for breath. Glancing back I saw Zak holding his head in his hands. Ridley was going crazy, running around the room barking.

"I was right about you," I said, though I knew he couldn't hear me, "I was right from the beginning. All of this is your fault. You're arrogant and selfish, and you're going to be the death of me!" I was screaming by the time I finished. Zak didn't even look up. Energy zapped once again, I crawled over to a spot in front of the fireplace to regain my strength. Ridley curled up by my head, whimpering softly.

"Don't worry, Ridley," I whispered, "I'll be dead and gone soon."

"It's happening again" Zak told Aaron. They were sitting in Zak's living room, Zak tense and tired, Aaron concerned.

"One followed you home again?" Aaron asked. Zak nodded, "Where from?"

"I don't know," Zak responded, shaking his head. I was doing my best to ignore them. It had been two days since Zak and I's confrontation. My body had faded more, the fight taking a lot of energy out of me. I knew that soon I would disappear for good. My soul would fade away before my parents pulled the switch and I would never get the chance to cross over, or perhaps get back in my body and live. These thoughts had tired me more than any amount of energy exertion ever could.

"Do you have any idea who it is?" Aaron asked.

"Alexa," Zak replied, "the woman who was at Fort Delaware. But I don't think she's from there. She said she was following me."

"Is she hot at least?" Aaron questioned, smirking. I peeked at them out of the corner of my eye.

"She's dead, Aaron."

"So? I'd rather have a hot ghost than a… not-hot ghost." Zak rolled his eyes.

"She's beautiful," he admitted, surprising me, "and stubborn, and a stalker." Yeah, that was more like it. I used my stored up energy to grab a throw pillow and launch it at Zak's head. It hit him square in the face. He didn't even flinch. I wasn't surprised. I'd been playing annoying poltergeist for the past two days. I figured if I was dying I might as well have some fun. Aaron, however, nearly jumped out of his skin.

"What the hell, dude?!" he yelled, standing on the chair like I was mouse that was skittering across the floor.

"Did I mention she's a pain in the ass?" I flipped him off, a gesture that unfortunately would go unnoticed.

"How long has this been going on?" Aaron asked, sinking back into his seat. Zak shrugged.

"The pillow throwing, television channel changing, radio playing annoyances? About two days, ever since I told her she was dead. I have no idea how long she's actually been attached to me. She won't talk to me anymore. She's like a little kid in time out."

_Keep talking, Bagans._ I was about to throw something a lot harder than a pillow at his head.

"It would be messed up if she really wasn't dead," Aaron said, laughing. I could have kissed him.

"Of course she's dead," Zak argued, "You can't just jump out of your body and stalk people." I moved over to his laptop which had Pandora Radio open. I thought maybe if I could get Aaron on my side that maybe Zak would listen. I stopped his music abruptly and forced Pandora to play the song to All Around Me by Flyleaf..

"What the hell?" Aaron said, startled. Zak looked over at his computer screen.

_My hands are searching for you_

_My arms are outstretched towards you_

_I feel you on my fingertips_

_My tongue dances behind my lips for you_

_This fire rises through my being_

_Burning I'm not used to seeing you_

_I'm alive_

_I'm alive_

"Very funny, Alexa," Zak grouched. I changed the song again.

_Here you are down on your knees again_

_Trying to find air to breathe again_

_Right where I want you to be again_

_See and believe_

"This is creepy, Zak," Aaron said.

"She's just trying to get a rise out of you. Ignore her," Zak told him.

"Maybe if we actually listen she'll find peace and cross over," Aaron pointed out.

Switch.

_It's getting harder to stay awake_

_And my strength is fading fast_

Switch.

_The thing I treasure most in life cannot be taken away_

_There will never be a reason why I will surrender to your advice_

_To change myself, I'd rather die_

_Though they will not understand_

_I won't make the greatest sacrifice_

_You can't predict where the outcome lies_

_You'll never take me alive_

_I'm alive_

_I'm alive_

_I'm alive_

"That's enough," Zak said, standing. He crossed the room, and turned off Pandora, closing the top of the laptop securely, "Alexa, I'm sorry, I really am. But… You. Are. Dead. You have to cross over." He gripped the edges of the computer chair, his head hung. Aaron came up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You should get some rest, bro," he told him.

"How am I supposed to rest with her haunting me?" Zak asked, frustrated. My heart sunk in my chest. I was just trying to survive. I never wanted it to be this way. Maybe it was time to let Zak go…

"Look, our job is to go beyond and try to prove something to the world that people don 't want to believe in. There are still tons of things that we don't understand," Aaron reasoned, "Maybe this is one of them. Just think about it." Aaron grabbed his jacket and left us alone after that. Zak sat down heavily on the couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. I noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes for the first time.

Zak was tired. He was frustrated. He wasn't able to relax in his own home and I was the cause. It wasn't Zak's fault that I was stuck. He was doing what he thought was best. That's all he ever did. He genuinely thought I was dead, and that I needed help moving on. Zak was kind. All he wanted was peace. For both of us.

I sat down on the couch next to him, and leaned my head in his chest. His breathing turned slow and deep. Glancing up at him, I raised my hand and ran my fingers through his hair.

That was the moment that I fell in love with Zak Bagans.

And that was the moment I gave up on my life in order to give him back his.


	7. Chapter 7

Things were quiet in the house over the next few weeks. I went back to avoiding Ridley. I refused to touch another thing in Zak's home. I wanted him to believe I was gone. As time passed I felt myself getting weaker. I knew my time was coming soon. As the days went on Zak began to go back to his old habits. He looked calmer, happier.

We were heading out to another lockdown. I stayed silent all the way to the hotel. Aaron was travelling with us. He asked Zak about me, and Zak happily informed him that it appeared like I had finally crossed over.

"To be honest, it feels a little strange without her," Zak told him, "But, it was what needed to happen. She would never have been happy trapped on Earth. I think I'm going to miss her, though."

_I'll miss you, too, Zak._

The lockdown location was an abandoned mental hospital. As before, I wandered along with Zak on the tour.

"Do you believe there are dark energies still roaming these halls?" Zak asked the tour guide.

"Absolutely," the guide replied, "The conditions here were horrible. Apart from that there's actually one spirit you need to watch out for, and be aware of."

"Who's that?"

"Fred. He was a patient here in the early 1900's. One day he broke out of his restraints and killed several of the other patients and a nurse before they were able to sedate him. Because he was handicapped, the courts refused to send him to jail and he was kept here. The nurses and doctors were so scared that he would break loose and do it again that they kept him chained in the cellar in a cage for the rest of his life. He is definitely still around, and very violent. He has thrown people down stairs, and against walls. He even broke one of the tour guide's arm."

"Sounds like our kind of spirit," Zak said. I bad feeling rose in my chest. Zak used provocation often to elicit a response from spirits. I had a feeling that this was not a spirit that should be provoked. Nevertheless, the lockdown began several hours later, and the crew went about their investigation. I began to relax as the night went on. The guys had made contact with several spirits, harmless, for the most part. So far there had been no sign of Fred. The lockdown was almost over when everything spiraled out of control.

Zak was standing at the top of a stairwell when I felt it. The darkness approaching. Zak was provoking Fred, his arms spread wide, asking Fred to push him down the stairs. My breathing became shallow as I saw a shadow approaching from down the hall.

"Zak, stop," I pleaded, but of course he didn't hear me. I was weak beyond the point of communication. My body was nearly transparent at this point. I had no energy left to spare.

"Leave him alone," I commanded the encroaching shadow. Its black eyelids opened revealing a pair of bright red eyes, "I won't let you hurt him."

"Die," the shadow said in the darkest, most evil voice I had ever heard. It rushed at Zak then, and what happened next happened so quickly I barely had time to think. I breathed in deeply, taking in all the energy I could. I heard Nick drop down to his knees beside me.

_I'm sorry, Nick. I have to save Zak._

When the black shadow reached me I used all my energy to block him. He growled, snapping and hissing at me.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT HIM!" I cried. I felt Fred trying to scratch his way through me to get to Zak. I knew that what I did next would be my last act. I prayed Zak never encountered a spirit so evil again.

"I love you, Zak," I whispered. I threw out my arms, sending an energy burst through Fred that made him scream. He flew backwards, hissing and growling. He took off down the hall before disappearing down another hall. I collapsed.

"Guess you don't have the guts," Zak said, lowering his arms.

"Man, something drained all my energy," Nick said, "My camera, too."

"Let's go find Aaron," Zak said, "Its about time to wrap it up." I tried to follow as Zak and Nick went off in search of Aaron, but it was nearly impossible. Only the rubber band kept me from being left behind. It dragged me along behind him like a limp rag doll. I held up my hand and looked at it as the guys packed up their equipment. I was barely there anymore.

_It's for the best_, I thought, _At least I can go to my grave knowing I brought Zak something other than pain_. Back to the hotel I was dragged, wondering how long it would be til I faded completely. I lay at the foot of the bed as Zak showered and took a quick nap. The lights from the television flickered over me, eerie as the beams passed through my image. CNN again, I saw. It made me smile.

A loud rapping on the door woke Zak.

"Zak! Wake up! Zak!" I heard Aaron's voice, muffled through the door. Zak groaned, and rolled over, checking the clock.

"What the hell?" he grumbled. He stood up, and shrugged a shirt on, stumbling towards the door. He opened it to see Aaron standing there with his laptop in his arms.

"You have to see this," Aaron said, barging into the room.

"Would you like to come in?" Zak asked sarcastically.

"Shut up, this is important," Aaron said, putting the laptop down on the desk, "It's Alexa."

"Alexa?" Zak asked, his voice confused. I tried to pick my head up to listen more closely, but I couldn't.

"She didn't leave," Aaron said, clicking on icons on the screen, and bringing up a video.

"What are you talking about? Its been quiet in the house. Even Ridley doesn't cry or bark anymore."

"I'm telling you she's not gone. We captured her."

"What?" Zak asked, moving forward. He leaned over the computer as Aaron brought up the moment on the staircase.

"Nick's camera went out, but there was a static cam at the bottom of the stairs. It caught everything, and your digital recorder caught the sounds. I synced them up. Its intense."

Aaron played the video. I could hear Zak provoking Fred, asking him to come and push Zak down the stairs. I crawled up onto the bed so I could watch before collapsing once again. If this was dying it wasn't so bad, I mused. Mostly I just felt tired.

"_Zak, stop_," I heard myself say. The words seemed distant, even to me.

"That's her," Zak said, surprised.

"I know," Aaron said, "Keep watching." I could see my white mist forming in front of Zak like a shield.

"_Leave him alone_," I said, "_I won't let you hurt him_." I knew the chilling, evil voice was coming next. I tried to cover my ears, but I couldn't.

"_Die_," the voice said. Then something unexpected, even to me, happened. My white mist glowed brighter, began to take shape. As Nick collapsed my image formed. Not just the mist, but a perfect image of myself. I was wearing the same leggings and sweater I'd been wearing at the time of the accident. The same ones I was wearing now.

I could hear the evil entity hissing and growling as the dark shadow hit my form, but it could not pass. My arms were spread wide in a protective wall. My image was so clear I could even see the curls in my hair.

"_I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT HIM!"_ I heard myself cry. The hissing and growling grew more fierce, but despite it, anyone in the room could hear what I said next, "_I love you, Zak._" The white glow turned bright for a moment, and then my arms shot forward, shoving the black shadow down the hall, hissing and screaming. Zak stood by the computer, stunned. Aaron closed the lid slowly.

"The image collapses after that," Aaron said, "The mist hovers on the ground for a minute and then disappears. She saved your life, bro."

"I don't understand," Zak finally said after processing the information for a moment, "I haven't felt her. She's gone. There hasn't been any activity in the house at all."

"Maybe she was just hiding," Aaron reasoned, "You heard what she said. She was attached to you because she loved you. She probably wanted to protect you, not scare you." Zak walked over to the bed, and sat down beside me. I looked up at his face which was a mask of confusion.

"Something doesn't make sense," he said. He seemed to be staring off in space until something on the TV caught his eye.

"Aaron, unmute the television."

"What?"

"Turn the volume up on the TV!" Zak yelled. Aaron had muted it so Zak could hear the EVPs better. Aaron grabbed the remote and unmuted the television, turning the volume up a few notches. I turned my head a fraction to see what had caught his eye. I was greeted by a large picture of myself with a headline underneath that read 'McConnell Case Settled Out of Court'.

"What is it?" Aaron asked. Zak pointed at the screen.

"That's her," he said, "That's Alexa."


	8. Chapter 8

"Damn, she is hot," Aaron said. Zak shushed him as the news anchor began to talk.

"The sixth month battle over the life of Alexandra McConnell came to a close today as the parents settled their dispute out of court. McConnell was struck by a drunk driver on March 17th, and has been in a coma ever since. Her story has sparked the life support debate to the hottest it's been since the Terri Schiavo case. McConnell's parents, divorced, have been in and out of court since the accident trying to decide who has the ability to make the decisions regarding their daughter's life since both had equal custody when McConnell turned eighteen.

Today, the parents reached an agreement outside of court to take their daughter off of life support. Protestors are already gathering outside Mercy Hospital in the small town of Monroe, Michigan in an effort to stop taking McConnell off life support tomorrow morning."

I looked up at the guys. Aaron's mouth was still open in shock, while Zak was staring at the screen in horror.

"Oh my God," Aaron breathed, "She really is alive. Your ghost is alive."

I should have been happy. This was what I had wanted all along. Zak had finally realized I was alive. I wasn't happy, though. I knew it was too late. Tomorrow my parents would be taking me off life support. I only hoped they did it before my soul disappeared so that I at least would have the chance to cross over.

"What are you going to do?" Aaron asked.

"What can I do?" Zak replied, shaking his head, "Her parents are taking her off life support tomorrow morning. Once her body passes away she'll be able to cross over. Be at peace."

"It's not that simple. It can't be. Why is she attached to you? Why did her soul leave her body in the first place if she wasn't ready to die? There has to be a reason," Aaron said, "And I want to find out what it is." Aaron left the room, putting the door stop in place. While he was gone Zak barely moved. I could read the turmoil written across his face. When Aaron returned he was carrying two pieces of equipment.

"Saving you seems to have zapped all her energy, otherwise there's no way she'd be this quiet knowing she was going to die tomorrow," Aaron said, "So I'm going to give her, her energy back." Aaron set an EMF pump down on the bed and turned it on. I felt it hitting me like wave after wave of static electricity. I could see some of the definition coming back to my arm. Aaron pulled out a spirit box next.

"We don't have time to review a recording," he said, turning it on. He held the spirit box out in front of him, "Alexa, are you here?"

_Of course I'm still here_, I thought,_ I wouldn't leave Zak, even if I could_.

"If you're still here you need to talk to us so we can help you," Aaron said.

_Zak doesn't want me to be here_. _I won't hurt him_.

"Give it to me," Zak said, holding out his hand for the spirit box. Aaron didn't question him, simply handed it over.

"Listen to me, Alexa," he said, "This is my fault. I've made it my job to try and capture ghosts, and prove that they exist to the rest of the world. When you showed up you asked me for help. Instead of listening to what you really needed, I assumed I knew what was best, because I thought I'd seen it all. The truth is, even after all this time, I still don't know anything. I need you to teach me."

"I need you, Alexa," he said, "Please let me know you're still around." I took a deep breath, soaking up the energy as it poured over me.

"Hi," I said, for lack of anything more profound. It was odd finally talking to someone who was willing to listen. The most beautiful smile I'd ever seen broke across Zak's face.

"Hi, sweetie," he said, "What are you doing?"

"Stealing your bed," I replied, smirking. Zak knelt down beside the bed. He was so close I could see every color in his eyes. He was so beautiful.

"You can steal whatever you want," he said, laughing, "Why did you choose me?"

"I didn't. I was brought to you," I took in more of the energy, "I think… I'm supposed to be near you." Zak took a deep, steadying breath. His voice was slightly shaky now.

"Is it too late?" he asked, his voice nearly breaking on the last, "Am I too late to save you?"

"I don't know. All I know is that… I am tied to you. I tried to go back to my body, but… some force would always return me to you," I explained. I was tiring now. The EMF pump could only give me energy. It couldn't give me back the time I had spent wasting away. I couldn't tell Zak I was disappearing. I didn't want to hurt him, "Zak… No matter what happens. I will always watch out for you." I could hear my voice crackling, and breaking up. Apparently, Zak could, too.

"No… don't go, Alexa. Please…" he said, panicking, "Fuck!" Zak dropped the spirit box, dragging his fingers through his hair. He paced back and forth across the floor.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Zak asked frantically.

"It's a sad day when I'm the logical one," Aaron said.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's obvious what we need to do," Aaron said, grabbing Zak's car keys from the bedside table, "We need to go to Michigan."


	9. Chapter 9

"Explain this to me again," Zak said as they pulled onto the interstate.

"It's obvious," Aaron said, "We need to get her soul back to her body. For some reason, when she went in a coma her spirit got dragged to you. There's only one logical reason why she wouldn't just cross over. It wasn't her time to go yet. So this whole time she's been stuck to you, not able to get back to her body and wake it up. Her parents assumed she's gone for good, and now are going to pull the plug. We have to get there before that happens, and get her close enough to her body to where she can jump back in."

"I'm hoping you have a plan for that part, because you heard what the news said," Zak pointed out, "There's already protestors outside the hospital. Where there's protestors, there's police."

"Actually, I'm pretty much winging it," Aaron admitted. Zak sighed, and glanced into the back seat. He had placed the EMF pump on the floor in an attempt to keep me around. I was laying down on the seat, barely able to pay attention anymore. The trip took only moments for me, drifting in and out as I was, but I could tell from how tired the guys were getting that we had been far away. Night had descended while I had been drifting, and already the sun was peeking over the horizon signaling morning. I stared to recognize landmarks as we neared my home.

"I want to check on her," Zak said, pulling out the spirit box he'd grabbed on the way out. He flipped it on, and held it out in the back seat.

"Alexa, are you still with me, sweetheart?"

"Yes," I whispered, the sound hoarse and distant. Zak sighed in relief, flipping the spirit box back off.

"Just hold on. We're almost there."

Zak's prediction about the police had been correct. There was a mass of protestors outside the hospital, many urging my parents to keep me on life support.

_I won't be mad no matter what happens_, I thought,_ Everyone was just trying to do what was best for me. I can't be mad about that._ Aaron pulled up to the front doors of the hospital.

"Okay," Zak said, grabbing the EMF pump, "Time to go, sweetheart."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Aaron said, grabbing the pump, "You can't take this in. We have no idea what that energy might do to hospital equipment."

"What am I supposed to do, Aaron? You heard her, she's drifting away. She can't make it on her own."

_It's okay, Zak. Don't worry about me._

Zak and Aaron sat in silence for a few moments. Finally Zak got out of the car. Opening up the backseat, he leaned inside.

"Listen to me, Alexa. I know you're getting weak. I can feel it. I know I have no right to order you around after the problems I've caused, but I need you to listen to this one," he said. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Jump inside my body. It's the only way to get you inside… Please, sweetie. I'm not losing you before I even get the chance to meet you!"

I didn't want to. All I had brought Zak was pain. Jumping inside his body would be invasive. He deserved better. But when he looked at me this way, pleading with his eyes as well as his voice, I couldn't say no. I raised my arms to him, wrapping them around his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling my presence. Pulling myself up, I sunk into him, and everything went black.

It was the oddest feeling. I knew she was inside me. I could feel her energy, low as it was, buzzing in every fiber of my being. I could hear her voice in the back of my head, repeating the same sentence over and over.

_You don't have to do this, I've done nothing but hurt you._

_Stop it_, I told her, _I'm the one who messed up. If I had listened to you sooner we wouldn't be cutting it this close._

_I do have one regret_, she said.

_Don't talk like that. We're here._

_I wish I'd had the opportunity to love you like you deserve_, she continued as if I hadn't spoken.

_You're going to be fine, Alexa. You saved my life. Now I'm returning the favor._

I headed straight for the ICU. I was sure that was where she would be. I knew I'd found the right door when there was an armed guard standing outside. Undaunted I snatched a file off the nurse's desk, and headed straight for the door.

"Sir, you can't go in there," the officer said, making a grab for me.

"This is urgent," I said, holding up the file, "I'm an intern. I was on my way out when the lab chased me down. The parents need to know about this." The officer continued to observe me, unsure of what to do.

"Do you want to be the reason these people lose their daughter?" I asked, never meaning anything more.

"Of course not," the officer stuttered.

"Then move," I said, shoving him out of the way. I shoved open the door, half running through it. My heart lurched into my chest at the scene before me. An older couple was huddled near the bed, crying. In the bed was Alexa. She was so pale, her skin looked nearly translucent. Her hair, a bright copper, was matted to her forehead. But the worst part was the shrill, monotone sound of the heart monitor.

Alexa had already been taken off life support.

"Who are you?" the woman who I assumed was Alexa's mother asked.

"I…" _I'm the man who killed your daughter_.

_Alexa_! I yelled in my head.

No response.

_Please, Alexa. I can't have come this far for you to give up on me now. Come back!_

"I'm an intern," I choked out, "I need to confirm… her death. Could you excuse me for a moment?" I moved to her bedside, staring down at her beautiful face. Why hadn't I listened to her earlier? I sat down next to her. As her parents closed the door behind them I bent down and placed my forehead against hers. Touching my lips to hers, briefly, I whispered, "I've brought you home. This is the last command I'll ever give you. Come back!"

I sat that way for long moments, hoping beyond hope that I hadn't been too late. I had just given up hope when the heart monitor registered as I saw her chest rise as she took a deep breath.

My body hurt. Affixing your soul back to your body was not a pleasant task by any means. But it was well worth it when I opened my eyes to see Zak staring down at me. Truly seeing me for the first time.

"Hi," I said, my voice hoarse. Zak's smile was dazzling.

"Hi," he said as he brushed the hair from my forehead.

"Told you I was alive," I joked, smirking. Zak laughed.

"I suppose I'll have to listen to everything you say from now on, huh?"

"Damn straight." We were silent for a few moments, too busy absorbing each other's presence for words. Soon, the silence became too much for me. I'd been silent long enough. About many things. It was time to speak my mind.

"There's something I've been wanted to do for awhile now," I said, looking into Zak's eyes.

"What's that?" he asked. I reached up, running my fingers through his hair. It was different doing it with a real body. I let my hand drift down to his cheek, feeling the smooth skin. Wrapping my hand around the back of his neck I pulled his lips down to meet mine. I would never admit it to anyone, but out kiss felt electric, and I swore I truly could see fireworks behind my eyelids. Mostly, I just felt my love for him swelling in my chest. I released him, and he pulled away slightly to stare at me.

"It's strange," I said.

"What is?" Zak asked.

"I've had six months to fall in love with you, being with you all day every day, and you never even knew I was there."

"I don't think it will take me long to catch up," Zak said. Then he bent back down, and sealed it with a kiss.


End file.
